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The Ancient One (Earth-11584)
History "Life...Eternity is defined by Death. And Death is defined by Eternity. One cannot exist without the other, and neither can have meaning without understanding the other." The Ancient One was the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth and one of the most gifted wielders of the Mystic Arts in history. Existing for centuries (due to borrowing power from Dormammu's Dark Dimension), almost nothing is known about her past, as The Ancient One refused to discuss it with anyone, preferring to look ahead consistently to the future. The only thing truly known is that she was from China and had been alive for centuries, if not millenia. During her lifetime she amassed a wealth of mystical and arcane knowledge, and came to hold the title of Sorcerer Supreme of Earth, the protector of the planet from extra-dimensional threats such as the Dread Lord Dormammu, the nefarious Mephisto, and the Fear Lord D'Spayre. To facilitate this, she took power from the Dark Dimension to fuel her own immortality, able to steal just enough energy to stay alive without fully giving herself over to Dormammu. It is known that at some point she aided the wizard Merlyn in his quest to protect Camelot and helped enchant the mystic blade of the Black Knight and an object known as the Amulet of Right. She also used the Eye of Agamotto and the Time Stone contained within to gaze into the Earth's future and see its upcoming perils, though she couldn't see past the moment she assumed that she would die. By modern days, The Ancient One was the head teacher of the Masters of the Mystic Arts, based in Kamer-Taj in Tibet. Among her students were Karl Mordo and Xandu, both exceptional sorcerers, and an American named Jonathan Pangborn, who chose to leave Kamer-Taj content with the miracle that healed his body. Of these, Xandu would prove to be her greatest mistake, as she could not (or likely would not) offer him what he sought, namely the resurrection of his long dead wife. Disenchanted with her teachings, Xandu broke away and took several followers with him. A few months later he attacked Kamer-Taj and stole pages from the Book of Cagliostro as well as a piece of the Wand of Watoomb, an artifact which could amplify spells cast with it exponentially. The Ancient One fought Xandu and his forces in the Mirror Dimension, but they managed to escape. Some time later Doctor Stephen Strange came to Kamer-Taj, seeking for his hands to be healed much as Pangborn's body had been. Turned off by his arrogance, The Ancient One showed Strange a mere sampling of her power, and then rejected him as a student, tossing him out on the streets of Kathmandu due to fear that another arrogant student would turn into another Xandu. However, Mordo eventually convinced The Ancient One to relent and accept Strange as a student. In time (and with a lot of prodding from her), Strange became an exceptional pupil, showcasing a natural mastery of the Mystic Arts that took even The Ancient One by surprise, despite his arrogance and tendency to question everything around him. In this time as well, Xandu attacked the Sanctum Sanctorum in London, stealing another piece of the Wand of Watoomb in the process. The Ancient One tried to head off his attacks, reinforcing the Hong Kong Sanctum as well as the one in New York. Unfortunately Xandu had given himself completely to Dormammu, making him far stronger than even she could anticipate, and he attacked New York directly. Despite being delayed by Mordo and Strange, Xandu eventually did recover the third piece of the Wand of Watoomb, also divulging her closely guarded secret of immortality to Dr. Strange. Her student confronted her on this in the Sanctum, something for which she had no answer. Her secret was officially revealed during a battle in the Mirror Dimension when the mark of Dormammu could clearly be seen on her forehead, shattering Mordo's faith in her. Unfortunately this distraction is what allowed Xandu to stab her through the chest with a folded space knife and send her plummeting through a portal onto the streets of New York below. She was brought to Metro General Hospital by Strange, who attempted to save her life. However The Ancient One, having seen this scene thousands of times before, knew her end had arrived, and so stretched out a single moment to see one last snowfall in her Astral Form with Strange by her side, encouraging him to embrace his destiny as the new Sorcerer Supreme of Earth. Powers & Abilities * Master of the Mystic Arts: Due to her long lifespan, The Ancient One had mastered virtually all known forms of the Mystic Arts, and could defeat almost any sorcerer in a fair fight. She was also able to stand her ground against four Dark Dimension empowered sorcerer's at once inside the Mirror Dimension, as well, only losing due to a distraction. * Virtual Immortality: In addition to her powers in the Mystic Arts, she was able to draw power from the Dark Dimension of Dormammu without the power corrupting her as it did the Sorcerer Xandu. This power artificially extended her lifespan for centuries, as time has no power within the Dark Dimension. * Master Martial Artist: The Ancient One's skills with martial arts were at least on par with Karl Mordo, who was stated to be a master of at least four different disciplines. Mordo himself claimed The Ancient One was his superior in every way of combat, though this may have been an overstatement on his part. Weaknesses Despite her vast power and seeming immortality, The Ancient One could still be slain with sufficient force, as she was killed by Xandu with a folded space knife and being thrown out of a portal and falling at least twelve feet to the concrete below. The Ancient One also tended to speak in riddles and complex lessons, not always conveying the right knowledge that was needed at the time. Film Details The Ancient One appears in the following films within the Earth-11584 continuity. In all cases she is portrayed by actress Michelle Yeoh. * Doctor Strange (2016) Category:Earth-11584 Category:Earth-11584 Characters Category:Good Characters